LeROY - Travelers could have a second option for a place to sleep in LeRoy by the end of the year. Construction on a new Holiday Inn Express is expected to begin within a few weeks, said co-owner Neel Patel.

Rainy weather has delayed the start of project, but once the site dries up, work will begin on the 63-room, three-floor hotel near Interstate 74, Patel said. The $3.5 million hotel will be next to Love's Travel Stops, 505 S. Persimmon Drive.

Construction likely will take seven to eight months, so Patel hopes to have the hotel open in December or January.

Patel and his father also own LeRoy's other hotel, the nearby Super 8 Motel. Holiday Inn Express was interested in a location along the I-74 corridor and asked the Patels if they were interested in the project.

"We thought it'd be two good brands to have at this one exit here," Patel said.

The location near the interstate and just 15 minutes away from the Twin Cities is ideal, Patel said. The Holiday Inn Express expects to capture overflow business from Bloomington and Champaign hotels, as well as from those travelers who prefer to stay in a quieter small town, Patel said.

Hotel amenities will include an indoor pool, an exercise room, a business center and Wi-Fi Internet access throughout the building, Patel said. The hotel also will feature the company's new hot breakfast. The free meal includes such items as omelets, sausage and bacon, he said.

Room rates for the hotel's king and queen-bedrooms have not been determined yet, Patel said.